Transport, population challenges and equal access to essential services dominated his address at the 17th Panhellenic Conference of Small Islands.
Giannis Pappas, New Democracy MP for the Dodecanese, called for a comprehensive national strategy to support small and border islands during his participation in the 17th Panhellenic Conference of Small Islands in Kasos.
Drawing on the conference’s motto, “Nothing about us without us,” Pappas stressed that island residents must have a say in the policies shaping their daily lives and future. He linked island policy to equal access to healthcare, education, transport, employment and public services.
Population challenges were a central theme of his address. Pappas argued that keeping young people and families on small islands requires employment opportunities, adequate infrastructure and conditions that allow residents to plan their lives over the long term.
He highlighted ferry connections and the Transport Equivalent scheme, describing transport as essential both to residents’ needs and to the viability of local businesses. He also pointed to the opportunities offered by digital connectivity, telemedicine, renewable energy and modern water supply infrastructure.
The MP argued that island development cannot depend exclusively on tourism. Fishing, agriculture, local entrepreneurship and new forms of employment, he said, can help build more resilient economies with activity throughout the year.
Turning to the 2028–2034 European funding period, Pappas called for funding to support transport, energy, healthcare, education, digital infrastructure and measures addressing the population challenges facing island communities.
He also linked the survival of thriving, productive communities on the Aegean’s border islands to Greece’s national resilience and geopolitical presence. He called for coordinated planning and meaningful cooperation between the state and local communities, supported by consistent action and measurable results.
